Fundraising in Lithuania

Resource Alliance reports about fundraising in Lithuania December 13, 2009

Fundraising Agency (Lesu Paieskos Agentura) proudly presents: first fundraising meeting in Lithuania is now familiar to tens thousands of world fundraisers subscribing the newsletter of Resource Alliance: http://www.resource-alliance.org/resources/enewsletter/issue_57_december_2009/986.asp.

Back from London, discussion finished… Now to work again December 12, 2009

Brigita and Brandon

Every morning I get up thinking about my empty blog. Every day I expect to write at least a word about how fundraising issues are changing in Lithuania. And every night I go to bed with the feeling something hasn’t been done. Blog is being missed day after day.

I hope one day I will look through here and will be happy about my records. Today it is how it is. I will just run through all the activities we implemented and some challenges we face.

1. The trip to London was So-Much-Successful! Thanks to my friend and partner Brigita we have visited 4 big (the biggest, probably) animal welfare charities in UK, RSPCA, Dogs Trust, Cat Protection and WSPA and spent so many hours in their fundraising departments! Comparing to Lithuania, it was something unbelievable. Maybe I will get a chance to come back to any of them and work in at least one campaign. And I will definitely write my London charity memoires, colleagues

Participants

2. Discussion “Fundraising in Lithuania. What’s up?”  was successfully held on December 3, 2009 at the Hotel Crowne Plaza. More than 70 participants discussed in three groups: 
      1. New fundraising methods in Lithuania. Civic Responsibility Foundation‘s philantropic ideas in 2010-12.
      2. Professional fundraising: do we need it? 
      3. Resources and innovations: what’s new?
Many thanks to my partners, Mr. Mindaugas Danys (Civic Responsibility Foundation) and Ms Veronika Rasickaite (Resource Alliance, UK).

3. What‘s now? „NGO connection day“ at Microsoft next week, www.LithuaniaWorld.eu [Social responsibility] and  meetings, visits, consultations, campaigns… routine…

Invitations sent, now – London November 16, 2009

A couple of hours ago invitations for the discussion on fundraising in Lithuania were sent. About 20 persons have registered so far. It seems the issue is too much important. Thanks, Veronika (Resource Alliance), for this great idea. And thank you, Mindaugas (Civic Responsibility Foundation), for the support.

So, the discussion ”Fundraising in Lithuania. What’s up?” takes place on the December 3rd, 2 p.m. More about it read here.

And me, tomorrow I am leaving for London to meet some fundraisers and, maybe, to try raising some money there See you all next Monday.

Discussion on fundraising in Lithuania / December 3rd November 15, 2009

Great great great! The fundraising education campaign takes it first steps.
I am happy to present the partner Civic Responsibility Foundation  and announce an open space discussion on fundraising in Lithuania.

Fundraising Education – first steps to success October 31, 2009

Just five days have passed to develop the idea of fundraising education in Lithuania, and it seems I can succeed.

• The plan of the Educational campaign is already on my desktop (sorry, can’t upload it here yet),
• Now I am looking for experts both in Lithuania and abroad to correct it.
• Next week I am meeting some business people, whom I will try to convince to be my partners (…hope it will work)
• I have already made a small research among NGOs – they seem to gladly join the campaign. It’s very important to me - it  will not work if people are not interested in this kind of education. It’s surely not enough, but… these positive opinions inspire me to follow my way indeed.

However, it’s a long long way I have to go to fulfil my dream and to make my plans to work, but… I hope… I believe… I am sure I will succeed.

P.S. I have already been inquired to send lots of documents to PayPal because of this donation button on the right corner. Actually, I am happy, they are checking these kind of initiatives. But I am sure for myself – my organization is registered, I am fully responsible for this site and for donations I may receive. And I keep asking for your donations. More information on this – in my previous post.

Fundraising education: your help needed October 28, 2009

Since long ago I used to dream to become professional fundraiser. It may not sound something special in the USA or the UK, or even in other Eastern European countries, but believe me, it sounds really UNCOMMON in Lithuania. NGOs have never experienced a real need in raising money from private resources, neither anyone wished to make donation.

Some days ago I was shocked. I arranged a meeting with my old mate, amazing job in promoting cultural initiatives in Lithuania and abroad. She implements lots of cultural projects, promotes tallented people, takes care of socially weak families, organizes summer camps for institutionally cared children and lots lots of other activities. I knew she had started from zero 5 years ago, so before the meeting had looked through the website and was surprised about her achievements. I was willing her to share the secrets of her professional success and, of course, was curious about changes in her personal life. First 5 minutes of our conversation made me to rethink a lot in my further fundraising strategies. She has told she works for FREE (!), receives some personal donations for living and implements the projects for about 5.000 Euros per year. She has spent some 6 months at hospital and re-habilitation and she is almost at the limits of herself. She is not alone. There are 14.000 NGOs in Lithuania, must be some 2.000-3.000 operating actively, and hardly 20 who are able and have ever raised raise money on their own.

This scaring situation is stipulated by long time international foundations, foreign organizations, and in some cases, the government project funding policy. 15 years of transitional period before the access to the European Union had to teach us to raise money ourselves. Unfortunately, we have just learned to fill in the funding forms and wait for response. We have never been taught to develop our organizations and skills, we have never been asked to follow the financial status and watch financial sustainability. The government, apart from senseless “2 percent” law has done nothing to promote sponsorship neither invested (nor is now investing) any single Litas to the capacity building of our NGOs.

So, this is the situation which forced me to start fighting. My nearest plans, apart from some ordinary individual direct debit fundraising campaigns, involve a big educational campaign for NGOs with workshops and personal consultations.

Dear visitors, I kindly ask you to donate to my initiative by clicking the DONATE button on the right side. For more information on my and the Fundraising Agency‘s actitivities please contact me info@fundraising.lt. I will be glad to promote you here on this blog and, if you can help me with your advises or expertise, we may find ways to co-operate.

Finally, you can find here some websites of the most known non-governmental organizations. If you find out how, you are kindly welcome to donate for their praiseworthy and unique work.